12.

How could they have been so unaware of what was happening in the world? Yeah, there were the stories ... sure wasn't that why they set upon a sort of camping trip. They were aware, only none of them believed until danger came their way and in an odd way, they went to the danger unaware of what they were risking. Of six friend who went on that trip ... only two remain. They would of course go on to be part of another group but not for some time after that night.

Two young ladies and four chancers, indeed for that is what they had been. Each chancer, looking, hoping to acquire some alone time with one of the girls. An evening of chance became an ongoing nightmare. Four lives lost to entities previously thought of as being make believe, the un-real rarely take lives. So much for not believing.

Going home was something they tried, a lot had happened in the short time they had been away, and home was no longer what it once was. Many family members already turned and those who could not be seen ... well Jason and Jenny could only pray that they live ... somewhere.

Jason saw his sister and of course, she was no longer that. She moves, she walks but she most definitely not what she once was. Whether it be shock, a hope he was having one hell of a nightmare or his own mind refusing to believe what his eyes were seeing, Jason went to her. Jason went to his sister, and it took every ounce of her soul for Jenny to convince him there was nothing to be done. Still, it took for him to come face to face with his sister, face to face with his own possible demise before he would leave and go on the run with Jenny.

Wanting to be alone with one of the girls, Jason had left that once hustle and bustle of his hometown to walk into a nightmare and return to a nightmare. He, nor anyone else could have imagined any of this. Could anyone imagine anything that is occurring? His world has succumbed to madness, as it has for so many others. Now he has that wish of being alone with one of the girls, the exception is this is not how he imagined things.

Having spent months on the road, lost in a complete daze, Jason and Jenny came across a relatively small singular slightly off-road building, a place which looks as if it once was a store that catered to those travelling this particular road during a time prior to the existence of zombies. They are some distance away from this building and can see at least two members of the dead moving close by it so they decide to by-pass it completely rather than take a chance on seeing if anything can be procured from this former store.

Being a little over eager, Jenny moves up and ahead of Jason and before Jason can do or say anything about it. Jenny has changed her mind and is already at that former store. Then something totally unexpected occurs, and of course Jenny sees it first. There are people within this store, living people, Jenny sees them, at least two of them and of which she calls out to Jason ... oh what a mistake ... she should know by now and this is what Jason feared when Jenny moved off away from him so quickly.

Those inside see the arrival of Jenny and Jason or Jenny at least with Jason being a little distance off. Those inside see Jenny through a small rectangular window at the back in a small office like room and right away they are trying to shush the arriving young lady with hand signals. And with some ruffling of nearby shrubbery and greenery she realizes what she has done. The thing is that the two individuals within the store are trapped there by the presence of zombies, both outside and inside the building.

Jenny's enthusiasm has put those within this former store in danger, more danger than what they already were in. These two strangers had hidden themselves and were planning a way out when Jenny arrived, now she too and of course Jason are in trouble with more members of the dead moving towards them.

A large-ish stone is thrown with the intention of providing an alternate route for escape but this has absolutely no effect on the glass window, it is double-glazed or something of the likes. What the attempt at breaking a window does do is grab the attention of the dead around by the front side of the building. Finding whatever they can to throw Jenny and Jason soon have to start backing up and move away as five ... seven ... ten zombies begin to come their way.

The window now has to be completely abandoned leaving Jenny and Jason to vacate that particular area. What it also does is attract three members of the dead to move directly towards that window while also clearing the opening to the store. Weapons at the ready, get past three dead and a way outside is on the cards. And so, the slashing, skull stabbing, and decapitation begins with very little wasted movement.

Jason is amazed with the ease the two strangers take apart what they face, Jenny ... not so much. Yeah, Jason has taken out the odd zombie or two but not with the proficiency these strangers have done. A few more outside the store need to be taken out and Jason involves himself with this. The fighting doesn't last so long as for once an opportunity comes to put distance between the living and the not so much living, a run for it indeed is made.

Being suitably far enough away from trouble, Jason Finley and Jenny Black properly get to meet twins Amber and Shawn Taunton, then not so long after that a group of seven come complete, or group of eight if and when the priest can be included. Over the coming months they would get to know one another so well that a kind of group consciousness forms, still things do change somewhat when the priest arrives.

***

Town after town they pass through salvaging anything they can get their hands on along the way until they come to one town in particular. There are the odd Zombie or twelve here and there but nothing as of yet to be worried about or to cause the group any real harm.

It would be Brad McGreevy who would notice, it would be he who sees a lone priest make his way into a rather large church and with the near-by loose Zombie population he knows it may just be a matter of time before they gather together. Informing the others of what he sees the group decision is made. Someone should go inform the priest that he may be safer being outdoors even though he has come he has come to hallowed ground as the group have made the decision to move on.

Yeah, maybe the priest would be safer within a group than being on his own. Shawn volunteers to go meet the priest while the other six remain outside in case the dead do come calling. Safety in numbers ... that is how it goes, right? A temporary base is made to become an extended stay; there is something about this priest. His mind is not strong and sometimes he forgets, and a point comes where it is obvious it is becoming more and more difficult for him to remember ...